Every Firebug release goes through [http://getfirebug.com/testresults regression testing] and community testing by alpha and beta users. In addition we use Firebug code to develop Firebug. Obvious and glaring "bugs" in Firebug are very often '''not''' things that Firebug can fix. Rather they are problems caused by other extensions, by unusual settings, or by bugs in Firefox.

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Every Firebug release goes through [http://getfirebug.com/testresults regression testing] and community testing by alpha and beta users. In addition we use Firebug code to develop Firebug.

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Before you start, make sure your Firefox extensions are all updated.

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Obvious and glaring "bugs" in Firebug are very often '''not''' things that Firebug can fix; rather, they are problems caused by other extensions, by unusual settings, or by bugs in Firefox. This page attempts to help you determine if your problem really is a Firebug bug, if it is something else you can fix by your own, or something that somebody else needs to fix.

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Please note: '''Firebug is not responsible for Firefox crashes.''' If Firefox crashes, it's a Firefox bug. However, unless you are running a nightly build of Firefox, creating a new Firefox profile and installing Firebug will probably fix it. If you want the crash fixed, please [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/ report it to Mozilla].

# Is Firebug doing things you don't want? Yes: [[#Firebug not acting like you remember: Reset all Firebug options|Reset the options]].

=== Install problems: Contact Firefox Support ===

=== Install problems: Contact Firefox Support ===

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For all issues with installation, contact Firefox support.

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For all issues with installation contact [http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Unable%20to%20install%20add-ons?s=addon+install&as=s Firefox support].

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=== Cannot Open or Mysterious Problems: Create a New Firefox Profile ===

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=== Cannot open or mysterious problems: Create a new Firefox profile ===

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Creating a new Firefox profile is a highly reliable way to solve problems. A new Firefox profile is a clean configuration with:

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Creating a new Firefox profile is a highly reliable way to solve problems. '''Note: uninstalling and reinstalling of Firebug or Firefox very rarely helps''', because preferences won't get deleted. A new Firefox profile is a clean configuration with:

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* no addons,

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* no addons,

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* no bookmarks, and

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* no bookmarks, and

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* no options from your current configuration

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* no options from your current configuration.

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For help on creating a new profile see [[FAQ#Installing_in_a_clean_profile]]

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If you need help, please read [[FAQ#Installing in a clean profile|how to create a clean profile]]

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=== Partial User Interface Failures: Disable Other Extensions ===

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=== Partial user interface failures: Disable other extensions ===

Firebug touches a lot of the Firefox platform and the action of other extensions while Firebug operates can interfere with Firebug's work.

Firebug touches a lot of the Firefox platform and the action of other extensions while Firebug operates can interfere with Firebug's work.

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# Firefox > Tools > Addons or URL "about:addons"

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# ''Firefox > Tools > Addons'' or URL <code>about:addons</code>

# For every extension select "disable"

# For every extension select "disable"

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# restart Firefox.

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# Restart Firefox

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If Firebug works, then one of the disabled extensions interfere with Firebug. You can try to enable them a few at a time to work out which one interferes.

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If Firebug works, then one of the disabled extensions interferes with Firebug. You can try to enable them a few at a time to work out which one interferes.

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=== Firebug Not Acting Like You Remember: Reset All Firebug Options ===

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=== Firebug not acting like you remember: Reset all Firebug options ===

*to get the problem fixed you need to communicate the procedure to reproduce the problem.

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* To get the problem fixed you need to communicate the procedure to reproduce the problem.

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*So the first and most critical step in fixing a problem is to reproduce it:

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* So the first and most critical step in fixing a problem is to reproduce it:

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** find a sequence of steps that you can perform to show the problem when you first open Firefox.

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** Find a sequence of steps that you can perform to show the problem when you first open Firefox.

** Write the steps down so you can remember them and repeat them.

** Write the steps down so you can remember them and repeat them.

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See also the information about [[Creating a Test Case|how to create a test case]].

=== Isolating the problem ===

=== Isolating the problem ===

Now that you can reproduce the problem, figure out who to blame:

Now that you can reproduce the problem, figure out who to blame:

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# Open the [https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Error_Console Firefox Error Console] (<code class="key">Ctrl/&#8984;+Shift+J</code>). Any errors related to Firebug? Copy them and remember to include them in your report.

# Create a new profile, install Firebug, reproduce the problem. Still a bug? Report the problem, else

# Create a new profile, install Firebug, reproduce the problem. Still a bug? Report the problem, else

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# Return to your previous profile, open url "about:config", type "extensions.firebug", save the result in a text file, Reset All Options, reproduce the problem: solved? Then Report the problem using the list of settings, else

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# Return to your previous profile, open the Add-ons Manager via ''Firefox menu bar > Tools > Add-ons'', ''Firefox button > Add-ons'' or <code>about:addons</code> to disable all extensions except Firebug. Solved? Enable the other extensions again one by one until you find the buggy one and report it, else

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# Use "about:addons" or Firefox > Tools > Addons to disable all addons except Firebug. Solved? Then enable other extension until you find the buggy one and report it.

# In the profile folder go to ''firebug/'', move the file ''breakpoints.json'' (if it doesn't exist, go to step 4) out of that folder, reproduce the problem. Solved? Report the problem attaching your ''breakpoints.json'' ('''Attention:''' ''breakpoints.json'' contains the URLs of all breakpoints you set, so make sure there's nothing, that shouldn't be public), else

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# In the profile folder under ''firebug/'' move the file ''annotations.json'' (if it doesn't exist, go to step 5) out of that folder, reproduce the problem. Solved? Report the problem attaching your ''annotations.json'' ('''Attention:''' ''annotations.json'' contains the URLs of all pages you enabled Firebug for, so make sure there's nothing, that shouldn't be public)

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=== Reporting the problem ===

=== Reporting the problem ===

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Now that know that it is a Firebug problem,

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Now that you know, that it is a Firebug problem:

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* If your steps to reproduce the problem involve public data

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* [http://code.google.com/p/fbug/issues/list?can=2&q=&sort=-id open a bug report].

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* Make sure your problem isn't listed in the [http://getfirebug.com/knownissues known issues] and isn't [http://code.google.com/p/fbug/issues/list?can=1&q=Type%3DDefect&sort=-id already reported]. If there is already an issue,

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** but it is closed already, go to the next step, else

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** if you have additional info, add a comment to it and attach your test case, if there isn't one yet, else

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* If your steps to reproduce the problem involve public data: Follow the [[rules for the issue tracker]] and open [http://code.google.com/p/fbug/issues/list?can=1&sort=-id open a bug report], else

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* If your steps to reproduce do not involve public data:

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** develop a [[Creating a Test Case|test case]], that can be public, or

Revision as of 06:39, 26 September 2012

Every Firebug release goes through regression testing and community testing by alpha and beta users. In addition we use Firebug code to develop Firebug.

Obvious and glaring "bugs" in Firebug are very often not things that Firebug can fix; rather, they are problems caused by other extensions, by unusual settings, or by bugs in Firefox. This page attempts to help you determine if your problem really is a Firebug bug, if it is something else you can fix by your own, or something that somebody else needs to fix.

Please note: Firebug is not responsible for Firefox crashes. If Firefox crashes, it's a Firefox bug. However, unless you are running a nightly build of Firefox, creating a new Firefox profile and installing Firebug will probably fix it. If you want the crash fixed, please report it to Mozilla.

Install problems: Contact Firefox Support

Cannot open or mysterious problems: Create a new Firefox profile

Creating a new Firefox profile is a highly reliable way to solve problems. Note: uninstalling and reinstalling of Firebug or Firefox very rarely helps, because preferences won't get deleted. A new Firefox profile is a clean configuration with:

Isolating the problem

Open the Firefox Error Console (Ctrl/⌘+Shift+J). Any errors related to Firebug? Copy them and remember to include them in your report.

Create a new profile, install Firebug, reproduce the problem. Still a bug? Report the problem, else

Return to your previous profile, open the Add-ons Manager via Firefox menu bar > Tools > Add-ons, Firefox button > Add-ons or about:addons to disable all extensions except Firebug. Solved? Enable the other extensions again one by one until you find the buggy one and report it, else

In the profile folder go to firebug/, move the file breakpoints.json (if it doesn't exist, go to step 4) out of that folder, reproduce the problem. Solved? Report the problem attaching your breakpoints.json (Attention:breakpoints.json contains the URLs of all breakpoints you set, so make sure there's nothing, that shouldn't be public), else

In the profile folder under firebug/ move the file annotations.json (if it doesn't exist, go to step 5) out of that folder, reproduce the problem. Solved? Report the problem attaching your annotations.json (Attention:annotations.json contains the URLs of all pages you enabled Firebug for, so make sure there's nothing, that shouldn't be public)